‘I told you, there is no cause for panic!’

‘Discuss later. Let him finish reading first.’

‘The government is now aware of China’s attempt to infiltrate agents in Sikkim and Bhutan. In West Bengal, vigilance has been increased at the northern border. Professor Nirmal Chandra Bhattacharya, the General Secretary of India-China Friendship Society has resigned from his post today because of China’s unprovoked attack. He said that not resigning was equal to treachery. Yesterday a Chinese person was arrested at the Rangia rail station who was moving around suspiciously …’

Outside the club house, Thakur Prasad Shah was prowling around keeping vigil with a smirk on his face. He had a lot to report to the outpost in-charge, Firdaus Ali.

Far away from Makum, at both the eastern and western frontiers, fierce fighting was going on between Indian and Chinese soldiers. At the Kameng frontier of NEFA, at the tri-junction of India, Bhutan and Tibet, crossing the border line and the Namka Chu river, Chinese troops were trying to advance towards Tawang, a small village surrounded by hills on three sides. With a population of 300 people, this was the first habitation this side of the border. A political officer was stationed in Tawang.

The road from Tezpur to the Kameng border ended here. There had been heavy snowfall and blizzards. On one side of the track were steep mountains, while on the other were deep gorges that seemed to disappear into an infinite nothingness. The rows of Chinese soldiers climbing the hillside were dressed in padded uniforms and snow boots. They carried food and other essentials in their backpacks with sophisticated weapons on their shoulders. Well-planned lines of communication had been built up with their base. A well-organized supply line had been supporting the soldiers. All arrangements were made ready for emergency evacuation.

The Indian soldiers, on the other hand, did not have proper supply lines, had limited arms and ammunition, hasty soldier deployment and very poor preparations. They were waiting for the enemy, their fingers on the triggers of the light machine guns or LMGs in frozen bunkers in the snow-clad mountains; dressed in cotton uniforms that were no match for the cold, and leather shoes that were unsuitable for the snow.

China had already constructed a road to the McMahon Line. On the Indian side, there were only mule tracks serving as roads. In some places they had to depend on air-dropped supplies.

Chinese troops had simultaneously attacked the India-Bhutan-Tibet tri-junction at the Kameng frontier, the India-Burma-China tri-junction at the Lohit frontier of NEFA, and the India-Pakistan-China tri-junction in Ladakh. Unable to sustain the fierce attack by the Chinese troops, the Indian troops had started retreating slowly.

After the meeting was over, Liang and the others gathered in Tung Chin’s house with their families. Their usual cheerfulness was absent today. The war weighed heavily on their minds.